Response #4

So I found reading Chapter 11 and 12 to be ok. Chapter 12 was more interesting then 11 but you know how that goes. In Chapter 11 it talks about virtual communities. I myself have never been a part of a virtual community but I do know that the Celiac website has a community just like that for people that are newly diagnosed with the disease. I know that the Diabetes Foundation also has one for those that need someone to talk to. I mean I’ve done the whole chat room thing, who hasn’t but I’ve never been apart of a actual support group type of thing. I remember when I was younger people used to have Pen-Pals that they would write to back and forth but it wasn’t someone you have actually met face to face. Today it seems that the whole Pen-Pal type of thing is done now over the computer. I mean I’m sure some people still actually write letters because you have those that are in jail that I don’t think have access to a computer but I’ve actually had a couple Pen-Pals over the internet through email. I’ve said before that I met my boyfriend online. We met on a website called LouisvilleMojo.com. I have met a lot of people off the internet and am still friends with a lot of them. When I was younger it used to be only aol that had the “chat rooms” but I had someone tell me the other day that singlesnet.com (which is another dating site) now has chat rooms so you can talk easier with people in your state. It still amazes me how much technology has changed in the past 10 years even. In Chapter 12 it talks about CMC and Society. I have heard of trolling before and have actually seen it in chat rooms when I was younger or even today if I happen to go into one. People love to do things to see how far they can push another person. When I was younger I used to think it was funny to see how mad one person could make another. But as I’ve gotten older I think it’s childish and stupid. Spamming is so common when it comes to email. I went to a website my sister asked us to go to to vote for my niece for something and I had to put in my email address and now I get TONS of spam email due to that. So I was reading the case study and I did not understand how one could virtually rape another person. I’ve heard of cyber sex but that takes two willing people participating in it. How does one make someone else do something they did not willing want to, especially over the internet??? I didn’t understand how this guy could use a voodoo doll to control other players and make them do something they don’t want to. Hopefully we will discuss this in class tonight so I better understand this. I’ve never been one to play online games all that much so maybe that is why I’m at a loss. Now hackers, pornography and computer viruses I understand. I’ve never personally had my computer hacked into but my mom used to build computers when I was younger and she has explained the theory to me several times. Everyone knows about pornography and everyone has seen it at one point in their life. My ex could tell you all about computer pornography. He’s addicted to it. I tease him all the time. Last but not least computer viruses. I hate computer viruses. I just had to buy a new laptop because my old computer kept getting viruses. We had it cleaned and removed several times but they just kept coming back. Oh well, I love my laptop and my ex now has the old computer.